All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.

Thomas Jefferson

If I were to add to this quote, I would add “But when you do speak up, do so with patience, respect and positivity.”

As we face another election season this year, we must remember those two things.

First, we must not remain silent. Each of us needs to become informed and get out and vote. Second, we need to stay away from and not add to all the hype and negativity.

This quote doesn’t just have to do with the government though.

Tyranny can be found in many different areas of our lives.

It can be found in neighborhoods where crime overshadows growth and opportunity.

It can be found in abusive and hurtful relationships where one persons dominance over another takes on an ugly form.

It can be found in the bullies in the school yard, picking on the weaker kids for sport.

Regardless of its form, it is our call as people of good conscience to speak up. To do something. To stand up to tyranny in all its forms.

Speak up and make it a great day.

Jake

​It isn’t sufficient just to want – you’ve got to ask yourself what you are going to do to get the things you want. Franklin D. Roosevelt
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​Franklin Roosevelt has always interested me. He was the President during two of the most dramatic events of our nations history, World War II and the Great Depression. In a wheelchair. If you ever have a moment where you think something isn’t possible for you, think again.
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​I found this quote and it reminded me of how the President can be an example and leader when it comes to taking personal responsibility.
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​Regardless of your circumstances and your goals, you have to take action and positive steps to get what you want.
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​You have to be willing to DO.
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​It’s not sufficient to want to lose weight, you have to be willing to do the work of dieting and exercising.
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​It’s not sufficient to want to have great relationships in your life, you have to do the work of building and maintaining those relationships.
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​It’s not sufficient to want a great country and community, you have to do the work of volunteering, voting and educating yourself on how to help our communities.
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​I once read a biography of FDR and came away with two conclusions.
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​First, FDR was an amazing man who made a major impact on the course of history as he led the US and the Allies through World War IIand the great depression.
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​Second, he wasn’t perfect. At first, his failures and shortcomings kind of bugged me, but then I changed my perspective a little and it gave me hope. Making a major contribution to mankind doesn’t require perfection. So, the just may be hope for me yet.
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​Make it a great day.
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​Jake

In honor of President’s Day, I thought I would share a few more Presidential thoughts.

George Washington and the cherry tree story immediately popped into my mind when I thought of something to write about.

Here is a link to read it and a little bit about it:

http://georgewashingtoninn.wordpress.com/2009/03/21/the-legend-of-the-cherry-tree/

Regardless of whether it is a true story or not, there is an important life lesson in this little story.

The Bible says that those who are faithful with small things will be given responsibility over many things.

A little boy’s integrity over something as small as chopping a cherry tree can build into a man that is responsible for great things.

What can you be faithful with now so that your future will be brighter later?

Do you need to stick to your diet now so you can live a long and healthy life?

Do you need to stick to that exercise program so you can have the energy to take on your goals?

Do you need to learn a new skill that will take you to that next level?

Do you need to take responsibility for something?

Commit to yourself to be faithful while the amounts are small. Hold firm to that which you tell yourself you will do. Your own personal integrity to yourself is the most important.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Today we celebrate President’s Day.

One of the presidents we celebrate on this day is Abraham Lincoln.

His letter to Mrs. Bixby was made famous when it was used in the film Saving Private Ryan.

I have included it below.

It is short, but very powerful.

Let’s remember to appreciate all of our past presidents as well as our current one this holiday.

Make it a great week.

Jake

Executive Mansion, Washington, November 21, 1864.

Mrs. Bixby, Boston, Massachusetts:

Dear Madam: I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant-General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering to you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours very sincerely and respectfully,

Abraham Lincoln

The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time. – Abraham Lincoln

This quote illustrates an important part of the success and happiness adventure we are all on.

All of the steps necessary to achieve success and be happy can’t happen in one day. They must happen in small increments, day by day.

Jim Rohn talks about “eating an apple a day” as an example of how small habits really add up. He goes on to say “you can’t eat 20 apples in one day”.

You can’t force all of the steps necessary to achieve your goals into one day. You must methodically check them off your list everyday. If you want to get to point Z and you are at point A, you must complete steps B – Y.

This is what people talk about when they talk about the potential that each of us have inside of us. If we apply ourselves diligently, day by day, you would be amazed at what one person is capable.

Apply that to Mavidea and the results explode. Multiply what one person is capable of by 25 and the possibilities are endless, as long as we are working together towards one vision and one plan for the future.

Trying to force your weight loss, wealth building, skill enhancement or other goals into one day will leave you frustrated and impatient. Create a plan for daily improvement and movement in a positive direction and you will be amazed at the results.

Make today one of those positive steps forward.

Jake

"Live your life each day as you would climb a mountain. An occasional glance towards the summit keeps the goal in mind, but many beautiful scenes are to be observed from each new vantage point." – Harold B. Melchart

This quote paints a great picture of one of the key’s to life.

In order to be happy we must be striving towards some worthy and overarching goals, but we must also relish each moment along the way.

How has this played out in your life?

Do you struggle with setting the overarching goal or with living in the moment?

As you think about your goals and your day to day life, think of the mountain. Let the pull of reaching the top propel you along the way, but don’t forget to enjoy the view along the way.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Especially to my valentine, Meaghan. Hard to believe we been married almost ten years, thanks for putting up with me.

Love is one of those topics that seems too big for any words that Jake can produce.

Instead, I thought I would include some thoughts from a newsletter I receive.

Remember to give a little extra attention to your Valentine this year.

Jake

Of the ten basic motives that inspire all human action, love is probably the most powerful. More has been accomplished by people motivated by love for mothers, fathers, wives, husbands and children than any of the other motives.

It is very common to see athletes, musicians, and business people purchase beautiful houses for their parents when they make it big. I recently read about Gene Simmons, the famous bass player and singer for the band KISS, and his devotion and love for his mother, a Nazi concentration camp survivor who brought up her kids as a single mother. Famous, and not so famous, people recognize the love their parents gave them and the sacrifices they made to get them to where they are and want to ensure their parents never want for anything again.

Love for their wives has often been cited as the reason for the success of many men. Napoleon Hill wrote numerous times about the impact that the wives of the people he researched had on their success. Henry Ford and Thomas Edison had tremendously supportive wives and this propelled them to tremendous success, despite the many difficulties each of these men faced. John Wooden, the famous basketball coach, is well known for his love of his wife Nellie. Anybody studying John Wooden’s success will soon learn the importance of his wife Nellie to that success.

I think of the story that Zig Ziglar tells of his friend Bernie Lofchick. Bernie became a wealthy, successful, business person because his son David was born with Cerebral Palsy. Bernie and his wife did everything they possibly could to make sure their son David had as normal a life as he could. Part of doing everything possible was earning an above average income to pay for the extensive therapy his son would need throughout his life.

The motive of love can also help people endure tough situations for long periods of time. I think about single mothers who often work tirelessly and still manage to impact their children positively to become contributing citizens of the world. I think of parents who endure jobs they do not like so that their kids will have the best life they can possibly give them. I think of people who experience physical disabilities and challenges in their lives and their spouses make adjustments to their lifestyle and dreams to lovingly care for them.

Think of the person you love the most in this world and who you would do the most for. If you were to find out that person would die in one year and suffer in the process, unless you earned say, $20,000 more in the next 12 months than you did in the previous 12 months, would you earn the additional $20,000? Would you sleep less? Would you watch television less? Would you waste less time? I believe that, if your love is strong enough, anyone could do it.

Think of the people in your life that you love the most. Think of the needs they have. Think about how you could help them with those needs, big and small. Bringing happiness, joy, and comfort to loved ones can motivate you more than anything else in life to do what you need to do.

Worry. A topic that could probably take up a whole month’s worth of Daily Attitude Emails.

I received the excerpt below the other day and thought about how worry probably effects most of us that receive this email.

I especially liked the last line “Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but only empties today of its strength.”

How many days have gone by in your life without strength because you spent them worrying about tomorrow and what might happen?

Spending even one day worrying instead of living out or moving towards your dreams is a waste.

We only get one chance to live each day, let’s make the best of them.

Make it a great week.

Jake

An excerpt from

Attitude is Everything

by Vicki Hitzges

I used to worry. A lot. The more I fretted, the more proficient I became at it. Anxiety begets anxiety. I even worried that I worried too much! Ulcers might develop. My health could fail. My finances could deplete to pay the hospital bills.

A comedian once said, "I tried to drown my worries with gin, but my worries are equipped with flotation devices." While not a drinker, I certainly could identify! My worries could swim, jump and pole vault!

To get some perspective, I visited a well known, Dallas businessman, Fred Smith. Fred mentored such luminaries as motivational whiz Zig Ziglar, business guru Ken Blanchard and leadership expert John Maxwell. Fred listened as I poured out my concerns and then said, "Vicki, you need to learn to wait to worry."

As the words sank in, I asked Fred if he ever spent time fretting. (I was quite certain he wouldn’t admit it if he did. He was pretty full of testosterone—even at age 90.) To my surprise, he confessed that in years gone by he had been a top-notch worrier!

"I decided that I would wait to worry!" he explained. "I decided that I’d wait until I actually had a reason to worry—something that was happening, not just something that might happen—before I worried."

"When I’m tempted to get alarmed," he confided, "I tell myself, ‘Fred, you’ve got to wait to worry! Until you know differently, don’t worry.’ And I don’t. Waiting to worry helps me develop the habit of not worrying and that helps me not be tempted to worry."

Fred possessed a quick mind and a gift for gab. As such, he became a captivating public speaker. "I frequently ask audiences what they were worried about this time last year. I get a lot of laughs," he said, "because most people can’t remember. Then I ask if they have a current worry—you see nods from everybody. Then I remind them that the average worrier is 92% inefficient—only 8% of what we worry about ever comes true."

Charles Spurgeon said it best. "Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but only empties today of its strength."